Improved trestle



@pate-1d (Attire- JOSEPH WITMER, OF

TOBIAS WITMER,

NIAGARA, -ASSIG'NOR TO HIMSELF. AND

OF WILLIAMSVILLE,l NEW. YORK.

Letters Patent No. 92,501, dated July 13, 186i).

IMPROVE!) TRESTLE.

The Schedule lreferred to in these Letters Patent 'and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WI'rMER, of Niagara, in the county of Niagaa, and State of New York,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in r Trestles; and do hereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification.

This trestle may be used for supporting scaiiolding or floors to be used in building, and for other` purposes where scaiolding is necessary, and may be readily taken to pieces for transportation from place to place.

It may also he used in connection with a clamp for filing saws, and for other purposes;

I shall proceed iirst to describe my invention as illustrated in its adaptationfor a support of scaiiolding used in the construction of buildings, &c.

Figure 1 is a plan of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a plan of the quadrangular hoop used for keeping the tops of the legs or supporters B B together, and for supporting the beam A.

Figure 5 is a sectional end view of the trestle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several iigures.

A is the main beam of the trestle, resting on the hoops D D, when the same are slipped over the upper ends of the legs B B.

This beam A has notches or gains cut near each end, made to fit the upper ends of the legs B B, which gains or notches may be cut in any desired shape or form7 to fit the end of the legs, which may be shaped or cut to any desired shape, as may be found most convenient. For instance, the end of the legs may be formed as shown at b b, iig. 5, which represents a sectional end View on the line a x, fig. 2, the gain in each instance, being cut to fit the leg.

B B are the legs v or supporters of the trestle, the` upper ends shaped to fit the gains, inthe beam A, as

` above described.

C is a cross-bar or brace, to keep the legs spread apart.

This brace is fastened' to one of the legs by a hinge at one end, as at d, while the other end is provided with a tenon or iron ring or clasp, c, to pass through a slot or mortise in the leg, as at c, where it may be secured by a key, e, passing through the link, or a hole in the end of the tenen or iron ring, so as to keep it firm in its position when in use.

D D are round or quadrangular hoops, or chains, or ropes, which are dropped over the ends of the legs B B, and upon which the ends of the beam A may est. Slight notches may be cutin the legs at the proper place for the hoops to rest in, or small pins may be set in, so as to prevent the hoops from slipping too far down while the brace O isbeing putin position.

These hoops-may be attached loosely to the beam A, by small staples driven over them into the under side of beam A.

` These hoops may have any desired shape.

If preferred, the hoops D D may be dispensed with,

Aand bolts or pins, instead thereof, may be passed through the legs, in the proper position for the ends of the beam A to rest upon.

The bolts or pins may be provided with a head or other contrivance, to keep them from slipping through. Chains or ropes may also be used instead. Braces, as E E, iig. '2, may be put on withbolts and screws, or other contrivance, so they may be readily put on or taken oii. n

The advantages of this machine are many, of .which I may mention the following:

First, the peculiar construction of the apparatus combines strength with lightness, and 'thus enables it to be easily transported from place to place.

Second, it can be readily taken to pieces for transportation, and put in a muchmore compact form than the ordinary trestle, thus; rendering it much more con-y venient for moving.

` Third, thelegs being held to the beam by the operation of the braces G G and hoops D D, instead of bein(r nailed or screwed on as is usual, the machine t! may conform its base readily to an uneven floor or base without weakening it.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is, Viz; i l. The hoops D, arranged below the beam A, and

encircling the upperends of the diverging legs B, with the beam A-between them, substantially as and for the pnrposevdescribed.

2. The arrangement and combination of the beam` A and the legs B B with the hoops D D, and braces O G and the tenon or iron ring or clasp c and the key e, for the purposes substantially as herein set forth.

JOSEPH WITMER.

Witnesses:

Tomas WITMER, T. WITMER, Jr. 

